Opportunity Information: Apply for AC 04 01 2026
Apply for AC 04 01 2026
- The AmeriCorps in the disaster prevention and relief, education, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 AmeriCorps Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 94.014.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-04-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-04-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 AmeriCorps Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service grant (Funding Opportunity Number AC 04 01 2026) is a discretionary AmeriCorps funding opportunity designed to support projects that organize and expand Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national day of service. The core purpose is to mobilize people across the country to spend the federal holiday serving their communities, while also using that one-day event as a gateway to longer-term civic engagement. In practical terms, the opportunity is geared toward projects that bring community members together around tangible service activities, build a stronger culture of volunteerism beyond a single day, and focus public attention on addressing local challenges through service.
Projects funded under this opportunity are expected to center on community-driven service efforts that both honor Dr. King’s legacy and deliver measurable local benefit. The program emphasizes convening diverse groups, organizing meaningful service events, and encouraging participants to continue serving after the holiday. While the notice frames the day of service as the anchor, the broader intent is sustained impact: converting a high-visibility national moment into ongoing volunteer pipelines, stronger community partnerships, and deeper long-term commitments to public problem-solving.
AmeriCorps lists a wide range of allowable focus areas, reflecting the fact that MLK Day projects can be adapted to local needs. The Funding Activity Categories include disaster prevention and relief, education, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, and other community priorities. That means an applicant could propose, for example, a coordinated set of volunteer activities tied to food insecurity, neighborhood cleanup and environmental restoration, housing repair and weatherization, public health outreach, or preparedness activities that strengthen local disaster resilience. The opportunity is cataloged under CFDA number 94.014, which is associated with AmeriCorps volunteer and service-related assistance.
The award instrument is a grant, and the posted award ceiling is $500,000. The opportunity posting indicates an expected awards field but does not specify a number in the provided source data, so prospective applicants should treat the ceiling as the maximum potential amount per award and confirm anticipated award counts and typical award sizes in the full notice and any related guidance. The opportunity was created on April 1, 2026, and the original closing date is April 30, 2026, giving applicants a relatively short window to prepare and submit materials.
Eligibility is broad and includes multiple types of public, nonprofit, tribal, and higher education entities. Eligible applicants include county governments; city or township governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); and other eligible entities as allowed by AmeriCorps. The listing also notes “Others,” which in the description includes State Service Commissions, signaling that commissions may play a role as applicants, partners, or coordinators depending on the program design and AmeriCorps’ structure for that year.
At a high level, a competitive application for this grant would typically align the proposed service activities with clearly defined community needs, show strong local partnerships (for example, schools, local governments, faith-based and community organizations, volunteer centers, and businesses), and demonstrate a credible plan to recruit, manage, and retain volunteers. Because the purpose includes encouraging long-term commitment, applicants usually strengthen their case by describing how they will convert MLK Day participation into ongoing service opportunities, recurring volunteer events, or sustained community initiatives that continue after the holiday.
The administering agency is AmeriCorps, and applicants should expect standard federal grant requirements, including clear program objectives, budgeting aligned with proposed activities, and a plan for tracking outputs and outcomes (such as number of volunteers mobilized, service hours contributed, individuals served, sites improved, or other community benefits tied to the project focus). For the official requirements, application components, and any specific priorities or scoring criteria, the complete funding notice and related AmeriCorps guidance should be used as the final authority.
FY 2026 AmeriCorps Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Grant (AC 04 01 2026) - FAQs
1) What is the FY 2026 AmeriCorps MLK Day of Service grant?
This is a discretionary AmeriCorps grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number AC 04 01 2026) that supports projects designed to organize and expand Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national day of service. The funding is meant to help communities mobilize volunteers on the federal holiday and use that one-day event as a springboard into longer-term civic engagement.
2) What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The core purpose is to mobilize people across the country to serve their communities on MLK Day, while building pathways that encourage continued volunteerism after the holiday. Projects are expected to honor Dr. King’s legacy through meaningful, community-driven service that produces measurable local benefits.
3) Is this grant only for activities on MLK Day, or can it support longer-term engagement?
MLK Day is framed as the anchor event, but the broader intent is sustained impact. Applicants are expected to use the holiday as a gateway to longer-term civic engagement, such as ongoing volunteer pipelines, recurring service events, strengthened community partnerships, and continued public problem-solving after the federal holiday.
4) What kinds of projects does AmeriCorps expect to fund under this opportunity?
Funded projects are expected to center on community-driven service efforts that convene diverse groups, organize meaningful service activities, and encourage participants to continue serving beyond MLK Day. Projects should align service activities with local community needs and be designed to deliver tangible and measurable community benefits.
5) What service focus areas are allowed?
AmeriCorps indicates a wide range of allowable focus areas under the Funding Activity Categories. These include disaster prevention and relief, education, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, and other community priorities. This flexibility allows projects to be tailored to local needs.
6) Can you give examples of activities that could fit the allowed categories?
Based on the categories described, a project could organize volunteer activities addressing food insecurity, neighborhood cleanup and environmental restoration, housing repair and weatherization, public health outreach, or preparedness efforts that strengthen local disaster resilience. The specific mix of activities should be driven by local needs and designed for measurable benefit.
7) What is the award type (funding instrument)?
The award instrument is a grant.
8) What is the maximum award amount?
The posted award ceiling is $500,000. This represents the maximum potential amount per award based on the information provided.
9) How many awards will AmeriCorps make under this opportunity?
The posting indicates an expected awards field, but the number of awards is not specified in the source information provided here. Applicants should confirm anticipated award counts and typical award sizes in the full official notice and any related AmeriCorps guidance.
10) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 94.014, associated with AmeriCorps volunteer and service-related assistance.
11) Who is the administering agency?
The administering agency is AmeriCorps.
12) When was the opportunity created, and what is the application deadline?
The opportunity was created on April 1, 2026, and the original closing date is April 30, 2026. This timeline suggests a short application window, so applicants should plan accordingly.
13) What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes multiple public, nonprofit, tribal, and higher education entities. Eligible applicants include:
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
- Other eligible entities as allowed by AmeriCorps
14) Are State Service Commissions involved or eligible?
The listing notes "Others," and the description includes State Service Commissions, suggesting commissions may play a role as applicants, partners, or coordinators depending on the program design and AmeriCorps structure for that year.
15) What makes an application competitive based on the description provided?
Based on the information provided, a stronger application would typically:
- Align proposed service activities with clearly defined community needs
- Show strong local partnerships (for example, schools, local governments, faith-based and community organizations, volunteer centers, and businesses)
- Demonstrate a credible plan to recruit, manage, and retain volunteers
- Explain how MLK Day participation will be converted into ongoing service opportunities and longer-term civic engagement
16) What outcomes or results are projects expected to track?
Applicants should expect to track outputs and outcomes tied to the project focus. Examples mentioned include the number of volunteers mobilized, service hours contributed, individuals served, sites improved, and other measurable community benefits connected to the chosen service area.
17) What kinds of partners are relevant for MLK Day of Service projects?
The opportunity description emphasizes strong local partnerships. Examples of relevant partners include schools, local governments, faith-based and community organizations, volunteer centers, and businesses. Partnerships can support volunteer recruitment, site coordination, logistics, and ongoing engagement beyond the holiday.
18) What is the general expectation for project design and community impact?
Projects are expected to be community-driven, bring people together around tangible service activities, and focus public attention on addressing local challenges through service. Beyond successful execution on the holiday, the program emphasizes building a stronger culture of volunteerism and generating sustained community impact.
19) What should applicants rely on for the official requirements and application components?
The complete funding notice and related AmeriCorps guidance should be treated as the final authority for official requirements, required application components, and any specific priorities or scoring criteria.
20) What federal grant requirements should applicants expect (at a high level)?
Applicants should expect standard federal grant requirements, including clear program objectives, a budget aligned with proposed activities, and a plan for tracking outputs and outcomes. The official notice should be consulted for the definitive requirements.
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